11 Rapid Response Teams Dispatched Abroad in Past 3 Years... 5 Deployments This Year for Middle East and Nepal Crises

Over the past three years, a total of 11 government joint rapid response teams have been dispatched to respond to disasters, conflicts, and other crisis situations abroad. This year, the response team was dispatched five times, including for the Middle East war and floods in Nepal, marking the highest number in the past three years.

The government joint rapid response team dispatched to search for missing South Koreans due to the large-scale flood in Nepal is looking toward the Weir Dam area in the Rasuwa region of Nepal on the 2nd (local time). Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to data submitted by Assemblyman Kim Junhwan of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, based on materials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the overseas crisis rapid response teams were dispatched to a total of 11 cases: 3 in 2024, 3 in 2025, and 5 in 2026.

The number of personnel dispatched also increased, from 8 in 2024 to 11 in 2025, and to 23 this year, totaling 42 team members sent to sites over the past three years. This year, due to the Middle East war and the Nepal floods, the scale of deployment increased significantly.

As a result of these rapid response deployments, 121 South Korean nationals received assistance with evacuation or repatriation in 2024, 438 in 2025, and 549 as of September this year, bringing the total to 1,108 people over three years.

To enhance on-site response capabilities during overseas crises, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a business agreement with the National Fire Agency and the Korea Coast Guard in 2023, and strengthened the joint government response system by securing personnel in advance for dispatch.

Assemblyman Kim stated, "There have been many situations this year, such as the Middle East war and the floods in Nepal, where government assistance was needed overseas. I urge the joint government response team to work closely with the Nepalese side and do their utmost to support the search for missing persons and provide all necessary assistance until the very end."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.